Google. Adsense Leaderboard

Lauryn Hill Responds to Backlash Against ‘Neurotic Society’ Lyrics

Lauryn Hill’s new song “Neurotic Society” may have a message that has gone unnoticed at first, as it seems that the lyrics are blaming the gay community for society’s corruption.

Quite frankly, it usually isn’t headline news when someone admits to not supporting gay rights, but when Hill seemed to drop some anti-gay sentiments in her new song, we were all puzzled.

Hill has been known for advocating freedom to be who you are, embracing all differences, and standing up for those who are oppressed. So it was surprising to hear that she may not have those beliefs when it comes to same-sex couples.

According to BET’s Monica Miller, the song makes several anti-gay statements including references to “drag queens” and “girl men.”

“Whether or not Hill is merely using these comments as examples of the smokescreens and sleight-of-hands that pervade this “Neurotic Society” is unclear,” Miller writes. “Beyond intention, these sorts of statements suggest that society is in a shambles because it’s been taking too many cues from the LGBTQ community, acting like ‘girl men,’ ‘drag queens’ and ‘transvestites.’”

Hill raps in the song to rap about “social ‘transvetism’” and “subliminal dressed up as piety.”

Some critics are arguing that the slurs are merely metaphors for topics larger than just same-sex issues, but a post on Hill’s website doesn’t seem to shoot down the theory that she does not support same-sex couples.

On her personal Tumblr page, Hill typically goes on rants that use such flowery language and complex metaphors that the message is always a bit unclear.

What is clear, however, is that she wants the public to remember that we all have the right to protest even if we don’t agree with the message being sent.

“Everyone has a right to their own beliefs,” Hill wrote. “Although I do not necessarily agree with what everyone says or does, I do believe in everyone’s right to protest. The overarching message of my music is to get up and stop compromising! And hopefully it will stimulate and motivate the changes that our society needs.”

While she never goes on to specifically point out what those “changes” are that “society needs,” it seems like it’s safe to say that she certainly won’t be protesting in support of gay marriage any time soon.

Meanwhile, Hill will be preparing herself to face a three-month jail sentence for tax evasion. She has until July 8 to turn herself in.

Read Hill’s full blog post below:

“Neurotic Society is a song about people not being, or not being able to be, who and what they truly are, due to the current social construct. I am not targeting any particular group of people, but rather targeting everyone in our society who hides behind neurotic behavior, rather than deal with it.

“The world we live in now is, in many ways, an abhorrent distortion, an accumulation of generations and generations of response to negative stimuli. Many don’t even have a concept of what normal is, by virtue of having lived afraid, ashamed, as victims of abuse, or inadequately handled for so long. I believe in coming up from under that fear and allowing the psyche/soul to truly heal. I understand that healing is a process, but I also believe that it is our responsibility to seriously care for ourselves, so that we can extend that level of concern for others and positively affect our environment.

“I want what is best for Humanity. Humanity, aligned with the Spiritual principles, that help each individual conquer fear, and transcend limited circumstance. I believe in healing and dealing with the traumatizing events of our lives, both in this lifetime, as well as those passed down to us, or inherited, so we can live as fully as possible.

“The whole world suffers from a lack of honest dialogue. Character and integrity have suffered at the hands of political correctness and corporate agenda, while our society moves further and further towards unhealthiness and breakdown. I oppose these trends.

“Everyone has a right to their own beliefs. Although I do not necessarily agree with what everyone says or does, I do believe in everyone’s right to protest.

“The overarching message of my music is to get up and stop compromising! And hopefully it will stimulate and motivate the changes that our society needs.

“Artists are constantly under media and public scrutiny. This is not a one-way street. Those of us with the charge of putting out faithful vibrations, have a responsibility to report what we see, and to write about what we know. I have seen some of the best and also some of the worst representations of human behavior. The same way that I exalt that which is high, is the same way I expose that which is abusive, in order to motivate and remind if not all of us, than as many as possible, of the Higher Calling.”

Join us in our effort to change our world with Empowering Narratives. Share this empowering narrative on your social network of choice and ask others to do the same.

Comments

Hello….. pride fiends? Quick scamming drag queens. There is a lot more in here that is truly offensive. I do find this song incredibly homophobic as well as her response to the criticism. There is lot in this "tirade" that is truly offensive towards the gay community. If I were famous and wrote a song that had a references about African Americans and used passive aggressive slurs, that would not go over well, would it? She's a great rhymer and I actually used to like Lauryn Hill until about 15 minutes ago when I first heard this. Now I think she is crazy and bitter and needs to look at her own ca ca, which she obviously has plenty of. I wish her luck in jail for tax evasion and with her future "career". She should look to Donna Summer after her comment about gays as a model for her future success as a musician.

You're obviously not looking at the true message of the song.
Under-analyzing and misunderstanding words, like the rest of the sheep who can't seem to grasp the truth.
My advice: Analyze the crimes your government has commited for 200+ years, then analyze what tactics they have used.
Then take a good look at who these people are and what they've done.
Then listen to the song again, I bet you won't be mopping about how offended you are by the words she used.
Look at it from a poet's mind.
Open up your mind, swallow your pride and let you ego go.

To Lauren only, I won’t respond to the following’s comments but if you feel the same well I’m glad for you.
Well daddy Lauryn protesting and not about to, make a decision!!!
Why do you think evil should be protesting to be? If good and evil both protest it means they are equal and the timeless god hasn’t built it(evil) to be overpassed by it.
Learn it now, it’s never too late: good lives while evil dies. The latter is aware of its conditions too: no otherwise than fakely claiming good’s things…since it(evil) dies..and the good never accepts to be inside of what you convey with your mind, and soul, and body. How isolated amid the masses and life existence!!
Can you now admit evil failed as it’s betrayed its selves? Nature-less minds are your only targets, what’s your strength, what’s your positioning inside of them? Say! As they’re the very matter-of-facts with Lauryn Hill’s recepters somewhere.
And, do U think girl men are physical or the idea is from-yourself constructible front-place-located? They wouldn’t that ; they can’t that ; they don’t shine that, they put women instead front place, ugly womanship model without a god by your side (a god=an autonomous man). All has gone when the well dried your water, understood? Didn’t noboby tell you as for your from-yourself representation of The Scriptures in which there’re suddenly no messiah and thus, prophets…as if you’d be them.lol-not to think up inexistence?(of them, thus, keeping self and soul a clear mind being part of reality). You done had the money to protest for the taxes. You should of paid them, it was so easy to avoid black poverty once more ; we struggled for that, not to reap what we’d sewed, understand!
Why ain’t you still made the good choice for your life? Harrassed?! I’m off-complaint, God is not Evil He created and made in order to punish, and let you rule your life, for my place…untwist this, dare…WAM!!! I might forum-post my view to where she reads in, entertain yourselves as it renders non-neurotic..if not, Lauren is the one to be this society: What an Illuminatti!!!!